Thursday, January 22, 2009

Free Writing Choice Friday

Students need time to write. Students need to be able to pursue writing projects. Students need to make choices about their education. Students need to prioritize and work on projects they deem important.

This means, choose a genre and write. If students haven't had as many opportunities to write poetry as they would like, forge ahead. Read some Sara Holbrook, I Never Said I Wasn't Difficult or follow the steps of Sharon Creech in Love That Dog and Hate That Cat. Write poetry and publish it to share.

Every Friday, students will have one hour to write whatever they choose. It can be any project, as long as they are writing. I will be available for conferencing, and can meet with students to address their individual needs. Peers can assist with revision, and as listeners to essays being read aloud to find errors or inconsistencies.

Students, if you have been wanting to write a fictional narrative or a memoir, plan on it. Do some prewriting, and/or spend some time thinking. Consider your characters and the problems they face. Decide how to get the reader into your story with a great opening, and how to build the excitement to the climax. Write an ending that will make the reader think about your story a few hours or maybe even days later.

Maybe your online journal needs some work. You can take this time to add details to entries, or to write a separate entry about your SSR book. If a book has especially touched you, or forced you to think about something, tell the reader about it.

Did you notice a blog post, where you wanted to comment? This is a time that you can share your thoughts, ideas, and opinions. Spend a Free Writing Choice Friday and give the readers of The Reading Workshop something to consider. Or, challenge an idea or opinion with facts that make the reader reconsider.

Free Writing Friday is a chance for you, students to write about what matters to you, writing in whatever genre you choose. The only requirement--write.

Image from http://flickr.com/photos/outlandos/
*

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Free writing Friday is so BRILLIANT Mr. Mcguire.

Mr. McGuire said...

Thanks Christian, but I wouldn't say brilliant. I do hope you, and the rest of the students take the time, use it well, and enjoy writing.

Anonymous said...

I think I will write a story!Is that a good idea?

Anonymous said...

I think that free writing choice Friday is a good idea. It's a good way for students to do a writing idea that they can enjoy. I'm even having an enjoyable time write now.

Anonymous said...

It is going to take a while to get used free writing Friday. But I think it is a good idea.

Anonymous said...

I think that free writing friday is a good idea. I think that when you are writing it really makes you start to think and that is good for you. I like it. I also think the same thing as Desire' it will take a while to get used to.

Anonymous said...

So far I've been having a lot of fun with free writing friday. I also think that there is a very good chance that my grade is going to rise .